GIANTS NOTEBOOK / Hershiser Gets Fired Up Again

Published 4:00 am, Saturday, September 5, 1998

1998-09-05 04:00:00 PDT Los Angeles -- On the eve of his second start as a Giant at Dodger Stadium today, pitcher Orel Hershiser made a surprising admission. He said that until his last start against Philadelphia he had lost the intensity and emotion he always carried to the mound, as he started to believe he was supposed to be more of a mentor than a winner.

"I found something going on in my spirit," Hershiser (9-9) said. "I started to believe my clippings that said I was here to be a leader, an educator, to calm people down and keep focused. That took over my mentality on the mound.

"I got my nickname 'Bulldog' because of my intensity and my emotions. The last time out, I threw every pitch like it was the last pitch of my career. That's going to be my mantra for the rest of my career. Everyone wants to label you as old and more cerebral, but I've still got some good stuff left to offer. Here it is. Come get it."

After allowing eight runs over 10 2/3 innings in his two previous outings, Hershiser, who turns 40 this month, four-hit the Phillies over seven innings at San Francisco on Monday night. Anyone who saw the game on TV had to notice Hershiser screaming as he came off the mound after a good inning, pumping his fists.

"I'm not worried anymore about how people react to my facial expressions, or how they react to my gyrations on the mound," he said. "Not all of us got here by being robots. Some of us got here by being passionate, intense and exuberant about what we do.

"I think I started to lose that because I was listening to what everyone was saying about me instead of listening to who I am," said Hershiser, who explained this revelation came during a talk with his wife, when it struck him that he really loves to pitch, that his family wants him to pitch, and that he would like to come back next year and try for his 200th career win.

"At some point I thought I started to lose the love of the game and thought maybe I should let someone else do it," Hershiser said. But now, "I just decided to give it everything I've got and uncover the original source of why I wanted to play."

JAVIER OUT: Outfielder Stan Javier was not available last night because of lingering pain from an August 25 auto accident, in which he was rear- ended. He said his neck is still stiff, and he has felt tingling in his fingers.

"It's kind of hard to bat when you can't move your head," Javier said. "You feel like a robot. The day before yesterday it felt pretty bad. Today it feels better. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to play."

MISCELLANY: With Shawn Estes' return, the Giants were at full strength for the first time since June 9, when Jeff Kent was injured. . . . The effects of Hurricane Isis made for a strange weather day in Los Angeles for September. It was overcast, drizzly and 75 degrees. "They're trying to make it like home for us," manager Dusty Baker said.